Dr Hazel Roddam’s research shortlisted for two industry awards

Dr Hazel Roddam’s research with Calderstones NHS has been shortlisted for two industry awards

A speech and language expert from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has been rewarded by a prestigious industry awards panel after undertaking specialist research with a local NHS Trust.

Dr Hazel Roddam has worked in collaboration for three years with Susan Guthrie, a specialist speech and language therapist at Calderstones Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and together they have been shortlisted in the patient safety in diagnosis and patient safety in mental health categories of the 2013 Patient Safety Awards.

Their nominated project has focused on minimizing the risk of choking in adults who have learning difficulties and a diagnosis of mental ill-health. It was a speech and language therapy led initiative, supported by colleagues, which aimed to improve care staff awareness of mealtime difficulties and the choking risk. It evaluated a new incident reporting system which was designed to enhance staff learning and inform risk management processes.

“We’re absolutely delighted that we’ve been nominated in two categories.”

Dr Roddam, Principal Lecturer in Research in UCLan’s Division of Physiotherapy and Sports Therapy, said: “We’re absolutely delighted that we’ve been nominated in two categories. The awards committee received a record amount of entries this year and said the competition was fierce so to have made the shortlist is fantastic.

“We’ve been working very hard on this locally based research so to get some acknowledgement on a national scale is invaluable.”

The awards, in their fourth year, aim to recognise the best patient safety initiatives so that they can be shared across the health service in the wake of the Francis Report on the failings in Mid Staffordshire.

The judges will be examining the ambition and innovation demonstrated by the project, clarity of the project's objectives, quality of management and leadership, results and sustainability.

“We’ve been working very hard on this locally based research so to get some acknowledgement on a national scale is invaluable.”

Dr Roddam, who is also a member of Allied Health Professions (AHP) Research Unit at UCLan, is a speech and language therapist who has extensive experience as a clinician and service manager, as well as being an academic who teaches research design and supervises postgraduate research students in the AHP Research Unit.

It is also the second year in a row that a member of the UCLan AHP Research Unit has been shortlisted as a finalist in this national award scheme. Professor James Selfe was shortlisted for his work on early identification of metastatic spinal cord compression last year.

Dr Roddam added: “The nomination reiterates the commitment of the AHP Research Unit to applied clinical research which has impact both on patients and healthcare staff who deliver services. Active collaborations between the AHP and NHS partner organisations are vital if we’re to move the health service forward.”

The winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner on 9 July at Grosvenor House in London.